Russia has not received any official requests from US for Snowden’s extradition

July 17, 2013, 16:39 UTC+3According to a source, Snowden cannot be expelled from Russia so long as his temporary asylum application is being considered

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MOSCOW, July 17 (Itar-Tass) - Russia has not received any official requests from the United States for Snowden’s extradition, lawyer Anatoly Kucherena, the head of the Public Chamber Commission, told Itar-Tass.

"We have not received any documents from the United States,” he said.

Law enforcement sources told Itar-Tass earlier on Wednesday that Snowden could not be expelled from Russia so long as his temporary asylum application was being considered.

"Even if the United States sends an official extradition request to Russian competent authorities, Russia will be unable to extradite the former CIA employee because he has applied for temporary asylum and cannot be deported so long as his request is being considered,” the source said.

"If granted temporary asylum, Snowden will still be protected against extradition because under Russian laws a person who receives temporary asylum cannot be returned to the territory of his home country or a country of permanent residence against his will,” the law enforcement sources explained.

Russian law enforcers have nothing against Snowden. He had been out of their sight even prior to applying for temporary asylum. “Legally, he did not cross the border, remaining in the transit area. “He is still there now,” the sources said.